Newcastle chairman to stand down

Updated 16.34 Thu May 22 2008

Keywords: Chris Mort, Newcastle

Chris Mort is set to step down as Newcastle chairman a year after replacing Freddy Shepherd.

It is understood the top City lawyer, who took a year's sabbatical to spearhead owner Mike Ashley's vision for the future at St James' Park, could leave the club within a matter of weeks.

"It was to be expected really" - Sir John Hall

Mort has overseen the transition from the Shepherd era and a restructuring of the club during his chairmanship.

Former Newcastle chairman Sir John Hall said: "It was to be expected really. When Mike Ashley took over he hired Chris Mort to head up his negotiating team.

"I think he probably had an agreement to stay and complete the legalities needed to take the club private and consolidate Mike's takeover.

"I read in the press the other day that he didn't want to live in the North East. He's done his stint and it's time for him to move back where he was."

He initially arrived on Tyneside to work alongside Shepherd, who had earlier sold his shares to Ashley to ease him towards a £134.4 million takeover, but was quickly handed the reins as the former chairman ended his long association with the Magpies.

Sam Allardyce was already in place as manager when the pair arrived, but having they dispensed with his services in January after a dreadful run of results.

They sprang a major surprise when they replaced Allardyce with Kevin Keegan, and although even he found the going tough in the early stages, the club's Barclays Premier League status was secured long before the campaign drew to a close.